Junior team Toro Rosso has admitted publicly that Daniel Ricciardo is next in line should either Spaniard Alguersuari or Swiss Sebastien Buemi fail to shine.

And the best performer could move on to replace Mark Webber at the senior team next season, even though others including Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have also been linked with the Australian's current seat.

"The way I have always understood it is that the in-house pilots go to Red Bull," 21-year-old Alguersuari said.

"Nobody has told me anything. I just know this year is important because I have to be ahead of my teammate," he told Marca newspaper.